Unlocking Your God-Given Purpose Through Worship
How embracing worship in your daily life leads to a deeper understanding of your true purpose.
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Our Created Purpose: Living a Life of Worship
Have you ever wondered, "Why am I here? What’s my purpose in life?" It's something we all wrestle with at some point, right? We search for meaning in our careers, relationships, and personal achievements, hoping to find that one thing that makes it all click.
But the Bible offers us a straightforward answer, and it might surprise you: We were created to praise and worship God.
Psalm 102:18 tells us, “Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” That’s right—praise and worship are at the very core of our purpose. It's not just something we do on Sundays when the band starts playing our favorite song. It's woven into who we are and meant to be part of our everyday lives.
When I think about that, I realize what an incredible privilege we have: the opportunity to lift up the name of Jesus, not just in church, but in our daily lives. Worship can be so much more than music. It’s about our hearts, our actions, and our relationship with God.
My Worship Journey
I remember when my worship journey began. I was 15 years old, leading worship with my sister and her friend. It was a small setting, nothing glamorous, but that moment sparked something in me. Since then, I’ve led worship in all kinds of settings—large churches, youth groups, intimate gatherings, even public spaces.
And here’s the thing: it’s never been about how many people were in the room.
Leading worship has always been about creating space for people to connect with God. There’s something powerful about gathering a group of people—whether it’s five or five hundred—and focusing all our attention on Him. Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!” That verse reminds me that worship isn’t just about singing. It’s about approaching God with hearts full of gratitude, inviting Him into every part of our lives.
If you've ever been in a moment of worship where you feel everything just clicks, you know what I mean. There's a joy in leading worship that goes beyond the music or the lights. It's seeing hearts turned toward God, even if for just a moment.
Worship is More Than a Feeling
But let’s be honest—worship isn’t always easy. Sometimes, we don’t feel like worshiping, right? Maybe you’ve had a long week, you’re stressed, or you’re just not in the mood. I get it. I’ve been there too. But here’s where worship becomes something deeper than just music or emotions.
True worship is about so much more than our feelings or circumstances.
John 4:23-24 reminds us that the kind of worship God desires is done "in spirit and in truth." That means worship is an act of faith, even when things aren’t going well. It’s a choice to focus on God’s goodness, even when we’re walking through tough times. I’ve found that some of the most powerful moments of worship happen when I least feel like it—when life is hard, when I’m tired, or when nothing seems to be going right.
There’s a phrase that sticks with me: "Perfect praise." What does that mean? Jesus talks about it in Matthew 21:16 when He says, “Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise.” Perfect praise isn’t about hitting the right notes or having a picture-perfect worship experience. It’s about coming to God with a childlike heart, in simple love and trust, just like a child trusting their parent without hesitation. Perfect praise is rooted in our love for Jesus, not in what He can do for us, but in who He is.
The Power of Praise
Here’s another truth I’ve learned: Worship is powerful.
It’s not just something we do to feel good or get through a church service. It has the ability to change things, especially when we’re facing challenges. I’ve experienced it firsthand. When you’re under spiritual attack, or life is just tough, worship can be a weapon. When we lift up our voices and hearts in praise, it’s like saying, “God, I trust You, no matter what.”
Think about it like this: Have you ever watched a child worship? Their praise is pure. They’re not concerned with who’s watching or what’s going on around them. They just pour their hearts out to God. That kind of praise—pure and undistracted—is powerful enough to silence the enemy. When life gets hard, praise is one of the best ways to push back against whatever is coming at you.
What Does Perfect Praise Look Like?
You might be wondering, “What does perfect praise really look like?” It’s not about being perfect or having everything together. It’s about being real with God. 1 Timothy 2:8 says, “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” That means when we come to God in worship, we’re putting aside all the things that distract or divide us. We’re not worried about how we look or what people will think. We’re just lifting our hands, hearts, and voices to God in surrender.
I love watching children worship because they get this instinctively. They don’t overthink it. They trust, they love, and they give. That’s what perfect praise looks like—worshiping with hearts fully in love with Jesus.
But it’s not just children who can do this. Worship isn’t about your age, your background, or even your skill in music. It’s about your heart. Worship can happen in the middle of doing laundry, on your commute to work, or during a quiet moment at home. It’s how we live our lives in constant conversation and connection with God. When you make worship part of your daily life, you begin to live out your purpose more fully.
A Life of Worship
The thing about worship is that it’s not meant to be confined to a church building or a Sunday service. We were created to worship Jesus with every part of our lives. That means worship goes beyond the music—it’s how we live. It’s how we respond to the highs and lows, the mundane and the miraculous.
I often think about the song The Heart of Worship. This powerful anthem beautifully reminds us that worship is not about the music or the setting, but about our genuine connection to God. It calls us to strip away the distractions and return to the essence of worship—coming to Him with an open heart. Just as a child trusts their parents to provide for their needs, we’re invited to trust God with our lives. True worship begins when we recognize that it’s not about us but about bringing our hearts before Him, surrendering everything in love and reverence.
That’s the heart of worship—trusting Him even when we can’t see the outcome. Worship is a declaration that no matter what happens, we believe God is good. It’s a daily practice of turning our hearts toward Him, whether we’re at work, at home, or on the road. Every moment is an opportunity to worship.
So, how can we live this out in our everyday lives? One thing I’ve learned is to watch children worship. There’s something so pure about the way they trust God without hesitation. They remind me that worship doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about coming to Jesus with a heart that’s fully open and trusting. And it’s not just about Sundays—it’s about every single day.
You can live out your created purpose by making praise a daily habit. Start by thanking God for the little things. Worship Him in your quiet time, on your morning walk, or even while you're washing dishes. Let your praise be a response to His goodness, no matter what life throws your way.
Worship as a Sacrifice
But let’s be real—sometimes worship feels like a sacrifice. There are days when life is overwhelming, and it’s hard to find the energy to lift your voice in praise. In Hebrews 13:15, we’re reminded to continually offer “a sacrifice of praise.” It’s not always easy, but those are the moments when worship becomes truly powerful.
I’ve had seasons in my life where worship felt like a sacrifice. When my wife and I have a disagreement, when there’s something wrong with the house, when I’m having problems at work, or insert a host of issues that can throw us off our game. In those moments, I had to make a choice: would I let my circumstances dictate my worship, or would I choose to worship anyway?
Offering praise when it’s hard is an act of faith. It’s saying, “God, I trust You, even when I don’t understand.” And it’s in those moments of sacrificial worship that I’ve experienced some of the deepest connections with God.
Living Out Our Created Purpose
So, what does it look like to live out our created purpose? It’s simple: we worship. We make praise a daily habit. We choose to lift our hands and hearts to God, not just on the good days, but on the hard ones too. We trust Him with our lives, our circumstances, and our futures.
Our purpose is to worship Jesus—and that calling touches every part of our lives. As we grow in our love for Him, our worship deepens, and we reflect His glory to the world around us. Worship is more than just songs we sing; it’s the way we live, love, and trust God in everything we do.
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Great post! Lots to think about…I have always looked at “worship” through the lens of Romans 12:1,2. As Christians, our entire lives, as living sacrifices, is worship. Our life purpose, according to Jesus in John 15, is to abide in the love of the Father and the Son. When I reoriented my professional life around what the love of Jesus would look like in the workplace, it changed everything! The same is true of church worship. I was a committed Protestant Christian for almost 50 years, and joined the Catholic Church 3 years ago. I was also in the military for 20 years with 10+ moves, so my family and I have experienced a wide range of “worship services.” But Catholic or Protestant, “Sunday worship” reflects the state of your heart. Do we show up on Sunday morning, ready to “hear from God” and joyfully engage in Word and song, or are we doing a “hook slide” after staying up too late the night before? What is our practice of prayer, devotion, study, service and fellowship to facilitate a move of the Spirit, either on Sunday morning, or in the course of our day to day? Life worship is like the parable in Matthew 25, where the master entrusted his servants with his property. What the servants did with the master’s property reflects their “worship” and that worship was demonstrated by either joy or fear.
I really lile your perspective on worship. So many people today in our churches, when they hear 'worship', it just means let's sing for 20 - 30 minutes. As you rightly point out, it can be so much more than that but as we look at typical services, elements of worship are actually no longer a part of a Sunday service. Personal worship is so important and I think many Christians have no sense of how to do that apart from Sunday - especially if they don't see themselves as great singers!